KerryC
Songster
G'day everyone
I'm hoping if I tell you a bit of my story, any of you could tell me if I made the right decision yesterday, (please try not to be to blunt with your responses as I'm feeling emotionally drained today)
As I posted in the new members area, I currently have 2 Plymouth Rocks, but that is since yesterday lunch time.
I will try to keep my long story short...
I used to have 2 Australorp Bantams as well. Noodle came to find herself in the bottom of the pecking order after her moult last year, was pushed out of the flock and we set up a penthouse suite in the run for her. Dixie our other bantam who was leader of the flock, would go up during the day and join her.
After 4 months, Noodle plucked up the courage to go back into the main coop at night, would head into a lay box and Dixie would sleep in front of her to protect her from our 2 big Plymouth Rocks.
For 6 months life went on like this, sometimes there'd be issues with the Plymouths stopping noodle from going in at night and she'd wait for me to go and pick her up and gently put her through the lay box lid area to bed.
Then a month ago, Noodle deteriorated rapidly one day, had a heart attack and died. I was devastated.
The other chooks got on with life for the last month, then a week ago, Dixie the other bantam, laid a soft broken egg and Speckles, the youngest but biggest Plymouth, decided now was her chance to go up in the pecking order.
She attacked Dixie and drew blood just where the comb meets the beak.
I isolated Dixie to heal and put her back and Speckles attacked again but this time when they were out free roaming, she pounced on her with fierceness.
Thatcher my 2nd Plymouth, was still being friendly to Dixie, but when she saw Speckles attack, she joined in
So I isolated Speckles the bully which made Thatcher distraught that her mate wasn't with her and of course Speckles went crazy.
I let them all out together after 24 hours and they both charged Dixie. Thankfully no blood on the last 2 occasions.
So I decided to put the Plymouths back together, built Dixie her own coop and for 6 days she free roamed through the day and befriended our pug and had me for company. Each morning, Thatcher the nice Plymouth would come and look for Dixie and they'd peck around together and when the Plymouths were put back in the run, Dixie would sometimes stand looking down at the run...forlorn. So I set up a crate for her next to the run thinking she could go and visit them, she came over curious, eyed up the run and ran away as fast as her bantam legs could go... she was needing chook company but Thatcher was confused whether to be friends or follow Speckles orders.
SO, yesterday I made the heartbraking decision to rehome Dixie, to a family on 20 acres up the road, who had another lonely bantam. I thought it right to get her away from Speckles, let her have a friend and if we were to go away on holiday she would have been alone in a coop here.
The lady that collected her has not responded to my message asking how Dixie is. Thatcher has looked everywhere for Dixie this morning and is sad and Speckles is just confused!
Did I make the right decision to rehome Dixie?!
I can't stop crying over this, did I just mess up the chooks lives
I'm hoping if I tell you a bit of my story, any of you could tell me if I made the right decision yesterday, (please try not to be to blunt with your responses as I'm feeling emotionally drained today)
As I posted in the new members area, I currently have 2 Plymouth Rocks, but that is since yesterday lunch time.
I will try to keep my long story short...
I used to have 2 Australorp Bantams as well. Noodle came to find herself in the bottom of the pecking order after her moult last year, was pushed out of the flock and we set up a penthouse suite in the run for her. Dixie our other bantam who was leader of the flock, would go up during the day and join her.
After 4 months, Noodle plucked up the courage to go back into the main coop at night, would head into a lay box and Dixie would sleep in front of her to protect her from our 2 big Plymouth Rocks.
For 6 months life went on like this, sometimes there'd be issues with the Plymouths stopping noodle from going in at night and she'd wait for me to go and pick her up and gently put her through the lay box lid area to bed.
Then a month ago, Noodle deteriorated rapidly one day, had a heart attack and died. I was devastated.
The other chooks got on with life for the last month, then a week ago, Dixie the other bantam, laid a soft broken egg and Speckles, the youngest but biggest Plymouth, decided now was her chance to go up in the pecking order.
She attacked Dixie and drew blood just where the comb meets the beak.
I isolated Dixie to heal and put her back and Speckles attacked again but this time when they were out free roaming, she pounced on her with fierceness.
Thatcher my 2nd Plymouth, was still being friendly to Dixie, but when she saw Speckles attack, she joined in
So I isolated Speckles the bully which made Thatcher distraught that her mate wasn't with her and of course Speckles went crazy.
I let them all out together after 24 hours and they both charged Dixie. Thankfully no blood on the last 2 occasions.
So I decided to put the Plymouths back together, built Dixie her own coop and for 6 days she free roamed through the day and befriended our pug and had me for company. Each morning, Thatcher the nice Plymouth would come and look for Dixie and they'd peck around together and when the Plymouths were put back in the run, Dixie would sometimes stand looking down at the run...forlorn. So I set up a crate for her next to the run thinking she could go and visit them, she came over curious, eyed up the run and ran away as fast as her bantam legs could go... she was needing chook company but Thatcher was confused whether to be friends or follow Speckles orders.
SO, yesterday I made the heartbraking decision to rehome Dixie, to a family on 20 acres up the road, who had another lonely bantam. I thought it right to get her away from Speckles, let her have a friend and if we were to go away on holiday she would have been alone in a coop here.
The lady that collected her has not responded to my message asking how Dixie is. Thatcher has looked everywhere for Dixie this morning and is sad and Speckles is just confused!
Did I make the right decision to rehome Dixie?!
I can't stop crying over this, did I just mess up the chooks lives
Just rehome her! Which I now know you did! 
